The 3 Simple Things You’re Getting Wrong about God

Your God might not exist if…What if the way you see God is all wrong? You are missing out on who He really is. And who you really are.

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I imagine Jeff Foxworthy might be a great person to lead this series. But, alas, it’s just me.

Have you ever thought that maybe the God you are praying to and worshiping doesn’t even exist? Let me help you pick your jaw up off the floor, friend. Hear me out.

What if the way you see God is all wrong? What if you are attributing characteristics to God that are so far from the truth that you are missing out on who He really is? And who you really are?

Your God Might Not Exist If…

You see. I’ve thought about God as this deity who lives up high on a throne distant from all of us here on earth. Just watching and manipulating.

When trouble comes (and it does), I have a tendency to forget who God is and in effect, who I am.

He punishes me when I mess up (not in a “loving Father looking down on his daughter and thinking, well, dang, kiddo you’re going to have to miss out on ice cream tonight” kind of way). More like King Triton when he finds out Ariel has her secret grotto with human knick knacks in it. (Sorry, I’ve got the Littles so Disney tends to be a go-to for analogies.)

Now, don’t get me wrong. God’s wrath is very real but so is His amazing love for us. That’s the part I always forget about.

And that’s one of 3 things I need to think about when it comes to whether God (the one I’ve been worshipping) actually exists?

God is Not a Combination of the People Who Have Hurt You

Over the years, I’ve read about God’s actions and his character but I’ve allowed my own circumstances to add my own (very) fallible character onto Him. Because of that, I’ve been shaken in times of struggle – stopped in my tracks and believing that I’m unloved, unworthy, unimportant, among other things.

It has caused me to see God as Someone He is not and left a gap in our relationship. He has seemed so distant because of it. This distance has caused two things:

1. An opening for the enemy to grab a foothold on my thoughts

2. A gap in the knowledge of who I truly am as a child of the one true God

My guess is that you are starting to see some of these things in your view of him, too.

(2) You don’t believe God because you don’t trust people.

I have projected the character of people who have authority in my life and who I have been hurt by, to form the character of the God I have believed in. Absent and emotionally unavailable father figures in my life rank highest on the list.

Despite knowing God’s stories of redemption and love for the humans He created, I spent many years not knowing Him as I should. It is easy for me to believe the lies that others tell me (particularly the enemy). And I can’t fight battles when I don’t have the right weapon to combat my enemy.

I have viewed God as a punishing God. One who holds grudges. One who is absent when I need Him and distant on a day-to-day basis. He doesn’t love me. He won’t forgive me. More than anything, I feel like I have to work for His love.

When I pray for something and it doesn’t quite turn out how I had hoped, I have a tendency to think that “God has a sense of humor” but really my heart feels like I wasn’t specific enough in my prayer and God used it to play a trick on me.

After all, we all know the quote by Woody Allen, “When you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.”

(3) God plays tricks on us.

I saw a YouTube video once of a girl (about 16 years old), who asked for a car for Christmas. On Christmas morning, she opened a box with keys in it. In her excitement, she rushed to the garage to see what she anticipated would be a brand new car. What sat inside the garage was a Hot Wheels car. Everyone let out a big belly laugh. My family even chuckled at it.

But the girl was crushed.

Sometimes my “answered” prayers feel a little like that.

And whenever I mess up, I never “get away” with it. In fact, I feel like every “bad” (or rather, human) thought turns into consequences. I feel so much pressure to be perfect – not only in my actions but also in my thoughts. It is so discouraging – and frankly, exhausting. I can’t possibly live up to that.

Who can, though!

As I sit here and think about the lies I believe, the more I realize that I have been viewing God as if he is an immature teenager bent on creating misery for others for His own sadistic entertainment.

(LORD, please forgive me for saying it out loud – well, writing it for public consumption.)

That is not who He is though.

In this series, we are going to dive a little deeper into three of God’s names. Because if we can start to see who He really is, then we can realize who we really are.

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Comments

Oh wow, this post is fantastic Ana! For a long time I let my experiences with others determine my self worth, which also often left me feeling unloved and unworthy. I blamed God for that and assumed that’s how he saw me as well. But you’re 100% right GOD IS NOT A COMBINATION OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE HURT YOU. This was such a great reminder. Thanks for sharing!

“We are going to dive a little deeper into three of God’s names. Because if we can start to see who He really is, then we can realize who we really are.” This is exactly what God showed me and what I write about–His Hebrew names–with that identical theme. I’m so glad to see your post today. God bless you Ana! I know many lives will be changed because of your writing. I followed you on Pinterest…wish I knew how you got that share thread. 🙂

Aryn, somehow I missed your comment. I’m so sorry! I’m so glad you got a little reminder of how we should start when we view God. It’s a fine line and one that the enemy loves to blur for us. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!

I am at these moment.I was actually surprised when I started searching “Does God realty exits ?” I found your page.. This is what has been going on on my mind when have been discussing with my niece “how could we live an uprightvlige and still suffer?
When people who worship Idols are successful?We have God are being punished for believing and trusting him?

That’s so hard to think about Sphile! I understand how you feel that way and I’ve felt that way many times as well. Remember that Jesus didn’t promise that we wouldn’t have troubles. In fact, in John 16:33, he says that we WILL have troubles in this world. But we can have peace because He has overcome the world. Sometimes we suffer because of someone else imposing their free will on us. And sometimes we suffer because of our own sin. But one thing I always hold on to is that our God is righteous and just. We see people who are worshipping idols being successful but in the long run, will they really? As believers in Christ, our standard for success is not the same as the world’s. Remember what your standard is. The riches and glory of this world will fade. But HIS? His will be eternal. Cling to that! Praying for you to see His richness today!

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About Me

Hey there! I’m Ana. A stay-at-home mom to 5 wildly wonderful kiddos, a happy wife to my hysterical husband and an imperfect lover of Jesus. Nowadays, I enjoy being your comedic relief and sidekick as you discover your identity among the dirty diapers and dirty dishes.